Welcome to 9th Grade at Panorama Highwith Dr. Osborne

"In a school where the sole purpose is to manufacture competent workers for the nation's technological-industrial complex, perhaps the need for literary instruction and reading would not be keenly felt. ...But if schools serve a greater function, to help create empowered and attentive citizens who can both pursue fulfilling and fruitful individual lives and who can contribute in transformative ways to the life of a democracy, then literature must take a central place in the curriculum." from You Gotta BE the Book by Jeffrey Wilhem

Test Maker Tool -- We will attempt more authentic kinds of assessment than the typical paper-and-pencil tests. One of the options you can consider is to develop both a "typical" test and a "Correct Answer Key," almost like a catechism of questions and answers. We will also investigate other improvements in assessment, including self-assessment and a practice used in current business, called 360 degree feedback.

Courageous Conversations -- Guidelines and advice for having "Courageous Conversations" about, racism, ageism, sexism, and other issues that tend to raise defensiveness in participants. Useful, too, in confronting, or "carefronting" friends and authorities.

The Five-Paragraph Essay -- "Because the five-paragraph essay is a chosen vehicle for measuring a student's writing proficiency, it is essential that each master this patterned format writing to score well."

The following rubric describes what you must do to earn each grade.
These grades are course grades, not six-week “progress report” grades.
Thus you have approximately four months to meet these standards.

Students who earn an A:

Always arrive on time, with the necessary supplies, and are ready to work.

Maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on rubric scores and assessments.

Demonstrate development of leadership abilities.

Develop and demonstrate familiarity with at least 7 American writers and their work.

Complete work assigned/committed to in this class, including web work accessible any time from any Internet connected computer.